Assig-noe



- '11 SheetsSheet l. W. ROBERTS.- KNITTING MACHINE.

{No Model.)

Patented Feb. 15,1887.

N. PETERS, PMlwl-ilhngraphor Waihinglon. D. C.

11 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

W. ROBERTS. KNITTING'MAGHINE.

Patented Feb. 15,1887.

.L 3 ZN W1. 3 O N N. PETERS. Phfln'lilhographir, W llhinglcl D- Q (No Model.) 11 Sheets-Sheet 5.

- W. ROBERTS.

KNITTINGYMAUHINRY Patented Feb. 15, 1887.

v N. PEIERE. mull wviwr. Wammglon. 0.0-

W. ROBERTS.

11 SheetsSheet 6.

' (No Model.)

KNITTING MACHINE. I

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P MN.

' 11 -Sheets-Sheet 7.

(NqModeL), W'. R 'BERTS.

KNITTING MACHINE.

No. 357,631. Patented Feb. 15,1887.

N. PETERS. Phnbullwgr-lyhnn Wanhlnglan. D Q

(No Model.)

11 Sheets-Sheet 8.

' W. ROBERTS.

KNITTING MAGHINE.

No. 357,631. Patented Feb. 15, 1887.

N4 PETERS. Pholwulhvgrapher. Washington RC.

11 Sheets--Sheet 9.

(No Model.)

w. ROBERTS.

KNITTING MACHINE. V

Patented Feb. 15, 1887.'

P N k H 11 Sheets-Sheet 11.

(No Model.) I

W. ROBERTS. KNITTING MACHINE. No. 357,631. I Patented Feb. 15, 1887.

FLZVLCJJGJ. V V I Igtwenlar.

Y, w flt lv rne PAT NT FFTQEQ WALTER ROBERTS, OF CANTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGN OR, BY DIRECT AND MESN E ASSIGNMENTS, TO WILLIAM ROBERTS, OF SAME PLACE, AND CHARLES ALBERT SHAW, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

KNITTING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 357,631, dated February 15, 1887. Application filed June 7, 1884. Serial N 0. 134,208. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WALTER ROBERTS, of Canton, in the county of Norfolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Knitting Machines, of which the following is a description sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which said invention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in'which- Figure 1 is an end elevation of my improved knitting-machine; Fig. 2, a diagram showing the bracket and adjustable arm, and also a portion of the needle-bed; Fig. 3, a front elevation of the machine; Fig. 4, a rear elevation of the same, the pattern-cards of the lefthand bank of the shifters and the devices for supporting and presenting the same to the shifter-selecting levers being omitted; Fig. 5, a view showing a portion of the machine with the carriage at the right-hand end of the same; Fig. 6, side and top views of a shifter-jack and shifter; Fig. 7, a view showing the construc= tion of the bed for the shifter-jack; Fig. 8, a side elevation of the bed shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9, a side elevation of the gate or guard mechanism for closing the groove in the shifter cam-plate, the plate being shown in vertical transverse section. Fig. 10 is a bottom view of the cam-plate for the shifters reversed or turned end for end; Fig. 11, a rear elevation or edge view of the same; Fig. 12, a view showing the gate or guard mechanism enlarged; Fig. 13, a view showing a portion of the lefthand end of the carriage; Fig. 14, a vertical transverse section of a portion of the machine, showing the mechanism for racking the shifters, certain portions of the body of the machine being shown in outline; Fig. 15, a side elevation showing the racking-lever; Fig. 16, a view of a portion of the rackinglever cam; Fig. 17, a top view showing one of the shifters and a portion of its jack; Figs. 18 to 25, inclusive, views showing the principal positions in which the needles and shifters are placed during the operation of shifting the loops; Fig. 26, a front elevation of a portion of the machine, showing the right-hand 5o bank of the shifters in 0peration,with the carriage moving from right to left; Fig. 27, aperspective view showing a portion of the Jacquard mechanism; Fig. 28, an end elevation showing a portion of the Jacquard cylinder and levers; Fig. 29, a view of the middle portion of the carriage and right-hand end of the needle-bed, the tilting arm being represented as broken; Fig. 30, a rear elevation of a portion of the carriage detached; Fig. 31, a view showing a portion of the right-hand end of the carriage; Fig. 32, a perspective view of the switch lever or guard, and Fig. 33 a view of a piece of the fabric produced on the machine. Fig. 34 is a bottom plan view of the needleactuating cam-plate.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures of the drawings.

My invention relates to straightknitting 7o machines, or those having flat beds and latchneedles, and more especially to the class adapted to knit Cardigan, Jersey cloths, &c. and it consists in a novel construction and arrangement of the parts, as hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed, by which a more efficient machine of this character is produced than is now in ordinary use.

In straight or flat bed knitting machines as ordinarily constructed, but more especially of 8c the pattern or class used in the manufacture of fabrics for Cardigan jackets, Jersey cloth, scarfs, &c., and which are equipped with cams adapted to so operate the needles as to produce a complete course of stitches at each full 8 5 traverse of the carriage, the carriage is usually provided with two thread-carriers, which, as the carriers traverse back and forth over the needle-bed, alternately lead and trail. For instance, the leading thread-carrier, as 0 thecarriage traverses from right to left, becomes the trailing carrier as the carriage returns or advances from left to right, and vice versa, the result of this arrangement and operation of the carriers being that their re- 5 respective threads are alternately drawn to the front and rear of the web, or are so interknitted as to show equally on either side of the fabric.

It is sometimes desirable to use threads of different colors-for instance, a red thread and a black thread, and that the red should be drawn entirely to one side and the black to the other, so that when the fabric is finished it will be red on one side and black 011 the other. It is also sometimes desirable to use two qualities of stock or yarn, one thread being composed of line wool and the other of 1 coarse, or one of wool and the other of cotton, or cotton and wool, and that the finest or best quality should be drawn to the front or appear on the face or right side only of the fabric, the poorer quality being drawn to the back to form the wrong side. To accomplish thisthat is, to adapt aknitting-machine of this character to produce plaited goods or a fabric having its opposite sides composed of different qualities of stock, and also, whenever desired, to produce a fabric having its opposite surfaces of different colors, as described-is one object of my invention.

A straight or flat-bed machine has heretofore been used in connection with a shifter or shifters adapted to change or transfer a loop or loops from one needle or series of needles to another needle or series of needles and thereby produce cross-ribbed or ornamental work; but such shifters have usually been operated by hand, rendering the process a very laborious one and requiring the most constant attention to prevent producing imperfect work.

To adapt the loop-shifters to be operated automatically in connection with the other working parts of the machine is another object of my invention.

For convenience of description, and to enable the nature and operation of myimprovement to be more readily understood by those conversant with such matters, the principal divisions or sections of the machine will, as far as possible, be considered and described separately. These are four in number, and consist, first, in a knitting-machine proper, or the ordinary mechanism of a flat-bed or straight knitting machine with but slight changes; second, in mechanism for automatically transposing the threads or thread-carriers to produce plaited work; third, in mechanism for automatically shifting or changing the loops to produce cross-ribbed or ornamental work; and, fourth, in a Jacquard mechanism for automatically controlling the shifters and enabling the style or pattern of the work to be changed at will, these mechanisms, in combination with supporting, connecting, and operative mechanism, constituting the machine in its entirety or considered as a whole.

The construction, arrangement, and functions of the various parts of the device will be apparent from the following explanation, wherein, when the terms right and left lever to remain stationary.

are employed, said terms have respect to the machine as viewed in Fig. 3.

In the drawings, A A represent the legs or standards of the main frame or knitting-ma chine proper, these being connected by the tie-rods Q, and R. Mounted longitudinally on this frame there is an ordinary double-inclined needle-bed, P, provided with two banks of latch-needles, P one on each side, in the usual manner. A carriage, E, is disposed on gibs S'flarranged longitudinally of the needlebed, and provided with the ordinary mechanical appliances, as shown and hereinafter described, adapling it to traverse back and forth over the same with reciprocating movements, said carriage being connected with its actuating-belt in substantially the same manner as the slide 22 is connected with the chain-belt 19. The needles Pare provided with heelsT, which engage the usual cams on the carriage E, and

by which reciprocating movements of the needles are produced. The carriage is provided with two thread carriers, suitable threadguides, and also with the ordinarylatch-guards, 93. There is also a friction-rod, 98, attached to the needle-bed for supporting a frictionblock, U and beneath the frame there is a cloth or work beam or roller, V, for receiving and winding up the fabric or web 65, the roll being actuated by the cam (1", rod M, ratchet-wheel L, lever M", spring N, and pawls N" N. The rod M passes through the lever 3F, and is connected at the upper end to the cam d, and is provided at its lower end with an adjustable collar, N, provided with a set-screw, N", which clamps the lower end of the rod. The lever M is journaled at one end on the shaft of the cloth or work beam, and the upper end of the spring N presses against the opposite end of said lever and tends to push the same upward. The actuating-pawl N is pivoted to said lever, and the holdingpawl N is pivoted to the frame. \Vhen the rod M is lifted by the action of the cam (1 the pressure of the spring N is increased sufficiently to cause the rotation of the work-beam, by the action of the pawl N, a distance of one tooth of the wheel L, the holding-pawlh riding over and engaging the next tooth of said wheel and holding the workbeam in the advanced position. When the fabric is drawn to the requisite tensi0n,itovercomes the tension of the spring and causes the The tension of the spring may be increased or diminished, as desired, by the adjustment of the collar N A standard, 39, carrying thread-guides W is disposed at the rear of the machine, the spools or bobbins (notshown) for the threads or yarn being arranged in any convenient position near the same. A shaft, K, carrying a handwheel, .T, and gear 11, is also mounted in said frame, and journaled in a bracket, f, attached thereto, is a shaft, F, carrying the pulleys G H, cam (1 gear 9, and a sprocket-wheel,afifor the chain-belt 10. A corresponding sprocketiOO IIO

wheel, a is disposed in the oppositeend of' the machine, around which the carriagedriving belt 10 also passes. An ordinary shippingbar, 81, is also provided for starting up and stopping the machine by shippingand unshipping the belt I. These parts,in connection with suitable operative mechanism, constitute the leading features of the knittingmachine proper, or first section of my improved machine; but some of the parts of this section I have changed and added to, as will be hereinafter more fully described, to adapt them for other purposes than plain or ordinary knitting.

The second section, or that embracing the mechanism for transposing the threads and producing plaited work, will be understood by the following description and reference more especially to Figs. 3, 29, and of the drawings, in which D represents the table of the machine, and E the carriage, the table being supported by the frame A in front of the needle-bed P. Journaled horizontally on pivots G at the front of the carriage E, and supported thereon by brackets 101, there is a rocking bar, 76. provided with a slide, H, to which is attached a thread-carrier arm, 74, having a thread-guide, J, the slide H being adapted to move longitudinally on said bar, and provided with two upwardly-projecting flanges, K J Attached to the right-hand end of the bar 76 there is an arm, 77, adapted to engage a bent rod, 73, supported inabracket, 80,0n the right hand end of the frame A, and at the opposite end of said bar there is a corresponding arm, 75, adapted to engage a bent rod, 0', supported in a bracket, (1 on the left-hand end of said frame. The arm 75 is elongated or carried upwardly toward the top of the carriage, and pressing on its upper end there is a spring, 82, which is secured to the carriage at the spring acting on the upper end of the arm to depress the arm of the thread-carrier. Attached to the arm 77 there is an arm, if, and

secured to thelatter there is a spring-catch,

78, projecting inwardly and provided with a bend, t adapted to engage the slide H of the threadcarrier arm 74. Acorresponding arm, j projects from the arm 75. and attached to this there is aspring-catch, 79, corresponding with the catch 78, and also adapted to engage the slide H, the bend i of each catch falling intoa corresponding depression. W, in the slide 11 when in engagement therewith. Attached to the top of'the carriage E, at each end thereof, are two arms, 90, projecting inwardly or toward the center of the carriage,a11d stretched between the ends of these arms, as best shown in Fig. 29, there are two parallel wires, 91 and 92, these wires being so disposedin relation to the guards 93 as to prevent the threads from catching on said guards while being'transposed, as hereinafter described. Disposed longitudinally on the front of the carriage E, and resting on the arms Z, carrying the front guards, 98, there is a bar, 97, which acts as a stop to prevent the thread-carrier arm 74 from adapted to engage the flange J on the slide H of the arm 74 as the carriage moves from left to right on the needle-bed. A corresponding stop-rod, b is also disposed at the left-hand end of the machine, said last-named rod being supported in the bracket a and adapted to engage the flange K on the slide H as the carriage moves from right to left. The thread-carrier 95 is mounted on a slide, Z adapted to traverse on ways 94 at the rear of the carriage E, and is attached to the friction-block U 011 the rod 98, which rod is provided with the usual supports and also with an auxiliary support, 112 to prevent it from sagging or vibrating at its center. These parts, in connection with operative mechanism,constitute the leading features of the piaiting mechanism or second section of my improved machine.

The third section, or that embracing the mechanism for shifting the loops and producing ornamental work, will be understood from the following explanation, reference being had more especially to Figs. 1 to 13, inclusive, 17 to 26, inclusive, and 30 and 31.

The construction of the shifters is best seen in Fig. 6, in which 0: represents the shifter proper, and Y the jack or butt. The shifter proper consists of a piece of wire, preferably oval in cross-section, and provided withan elongated longitudinal slot or eye, n", and with a transverse notch or groove, y, on its upper side, its outer end being pointed to enable it to enter the loop readily. The butt or jack is composed of metal, preferably iron or steel, and is about eightinches inlength,siX-eighths of an inch in width, and two-eighths of an inch thick. It is provided with an elongated slot, 4, for receiving the rod 2, on which the shifters work, and also with a downwardlyprojecting stud, 3, on its lower edge, and upwardly-projecting stud zon its upper edge.

In the machine shown two banks of shifters are employedone at the left and the other at the right hand end of the machine-as shown in Fig. 3, each bank containing sixteen shifters; but one or more banks may be employed, and each bank may be provided with as many shifters as desired, or a single bank extending the entire length of the needlebanks maybe used by making the necessary changes in the actuating and other mechanism.

The shifter-jacks Y are mounted in beds or ways, the construction of which is best seen in Figs. 7 and 8, said beds being omitted from Fig. 2 in order that the other parts of said figure may be more clearly illustrated in that figure, each shifter being independent of the others. The bed consists of alternate wide and narrow strips of metal, preferably iron or steel, suitably planed and finished, and secured in position side by side by means of the rods and nuts f, the jacks being inserted between the wide strips 5 and resting on the narrow strips 6, and being held in position by the rod 2 in the slots 4, said rod being properly supported at either end. At either side of the bed there is a plate, 7, provided with clamps or brackets 8, which pass under and partially embrace the bars or ways T, the clamps keeping the bed in proper position as it is moved back and forth on said ways, as hereinafter described.

One object of constructing the bed in sections, as shown, is to enable it to be readily repaired in case any portion becomes worn or broken. Another object is to have the grain of the iron or metal of which the bed is formed run in the same direction in which the jacks move, thereby causing less friction and wear of the parts. The bed can also be made with much greater accuracy and in a more workmanlike manner when formed in sections than is possible when all of its parts are integral, or when the grooves are cut in the face of a solid piece of metal.

For the purpose of supporting the shifters and other mechanismhereinafter described, an auxiliary frame is employed. This frame consists principally of the standards B, which are connected by the longitudinally-arranged ticbars N O, and secured to the legs A A of the main frame of the machine by the cross-bars O and bars or braces D. Projecting from the front side of the bar N, and inclined thereto at an angle of about forty-five degrees, there are three brackets, B, one in the center and one near each end of the machine. Mounted on each of these brackets there is a bar, S, secured near its upper end by the bolt 13, and rendered vertically adjustable by the bolt and nut 12.

Disposed longitudinally of the machine, and secured to the bars S, are the two bars T, forming the ways for the shifter-beds or carriages. Mounted transversely on the bars T there are a series of crossbars, U, secured in position by bolts d and clamps q". Projecting upwardly from each end of each of the bars U there is an adjustable standard, a, and mounted on these standards there are two bars, V, arranged in parallelism with each other and with the bars T, the bars V forming the ways for the shiftercam bar, hereinafter described. Disposed transversely on the bars V there are a series of cross-bars, I), provided at each end with an overhanging clamp. c, which holds them in position and permits them to be moved back and forth on said bars.

A bar, \V, is arranged longitudinally of the machine and secured to the lower side of the bars b by bolts This bar is provided on its lower side at the right-hand end with two cam-plates. 26 and 27, and at its left-hand end with two corresponding plates, 23 and 24. There is also a cam-plate, 25, atits center, the arrangement of these plates being such as to form the cam-grooves 29 and 28, as best seen in Fig. 10, in which the studs 2 of the shifter- ,acks Y work. The cam-groove 29 opens outwardly through the upper or working edge of the bar W, as seen at s, and the groove 28, as seen at i in Fig. 10, a guard or switch being provided at the mouth of eithergroove to close the same and prevent the entry of the studs 2 whenever required. The construction ofthis guard is best seen in Figs. 9, 12, and 32, in which \V is the shifter canrbar; b, a cross-bar attached to the top of the cam-bar; 3;, a lever pivoted at 36 to the bar I); 35, a spring for raising the lever; 33, a handle or lever pivoted to a bracket, 32, of the cross-bar b, for depressing the lever 34, and 37 the guard or switch proper, attached to the upper end of the lever 34 and provided with the flange or lip 38.

By raising the handle 33, as shown in Fig. 12, the guard 37 closes the entrance to the cam-groove 29 or 28, as the case may be, and the lip 38 of said guard 37 causes the studs 2 of the jacks Y to pass by said groove as the bar 7 is moved back and forth on its ways V, and by lowering the handle 33, as shown in Fig. 9, the guard is raised, opening the mouth of the groove and permitting the studs to come in contact with the outer edge of the cam-plate 26, which, as well as plate 23. projects laterally beyond the cam-plate 25, shown in Fig. 10 and indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 12, the inclined end faces of the said plates serving to force the said studs into the groove 28 or 29, as the case may be.

It will be understood that the right-hand bank of shifters are actuated by the cam-plates 26 and 27, on the right-hand end of the bar V, and the left-hand bank by the cam-plates 23 and 24, on the left-hand end of said bar, the studs 2 of the right-hand bank working in the groove 29, and the studs 2 of the left-hand bank in groove 28, and that when said studs are out of their respective grooves in the bar \V the shifters will not be moved longitudinally to engage the needles, in consequence of which the knitting will be performed in the ordinary manner. The grooves 28 and 29, taken together, constitute the shifterjackoperating cam-groove. It will also be understood that the shifters may be employed to equal advantage whether the machine uses one or two threads, or whether the threads are transposed or run in the ordinary manner.

Attached to the forward or lower ends of the bars I) there is ahorizontally-arianged bar, 67, to which a bar, 66, is connected by the cross-bars 69. These bars have their contiguous or inner edges so shaped and arranged as to form a canrgroove, 102, in which thelowcr ends of the jacks Y of the shifters 00 rest, the bars traversing with the cam-bar \V and raising and depressing the points of the shifters at suitable intervals, to cause them to engage and disengage the needles P properly.

The upper cam-bar, 67, may be loosely connected to the cross-bars b, to enable the cam bar \V to rise and fall slightly, so as not to interfere with the oscillating movements of the jacks and without moving the bars 66 and 67 vertically. The lower cam-bar, 66, rests in a series of crossbars or brackets, 70, which are attached to the bars T and project downwardly in front of said bars, forming ways on which the bar 66 rests and in which it slides longitudinally.

Disposed on the top of the bar W, and adjustably secured thereto by suitable bolts and nuts, there are two upwardly-projecting bent arms, e, adapted to engage the slide 22, working on abar, 21, which is supported on brackets 16, projecting upwardly from the tie-bar N.

The slide 22 is driven by the chain-belt 19,

passing over the sprocket-wheels 18 in the di rection indicated by the arrows in Fig. 4, the chain being attached to a stud, w, on the lever 103, which lever is pivoted to the slide at 104, and, as it passes the sprocket-wheels 18, reverses the motion of the slide in the usual manner.

One of the sprocket-wheels 18 is mounted on the inner end of a shaft, 15, which is journaled in a bracket, 1), on the standard Eat the righthand end of the machine, and the other is correspondingly journaled in a bracket on the standard B, which is at the left-hand end of the machine. The shaft 15 also carries at its outer end a sprocket'wheel, 17, which is connected by the chain-belt 14 with a corresponding wheel, 20, on the main shaft F, and through which motion is communicated to the chain-belt 19, slide 22, cam-bar W, and shifters m. A stop, 105, on the slide 22 prevents the free end of the lever from rising too high when the slide is passing from right to left, and thereby cramping the slide on the bar.

A shaft, X, is journaled horizontally on the tie-bars O, which connect the main and auxiliary frames of the machine, said shaft being provided at its right-hand end with a mitergear, 2, and centrally with two corresponding or twin cams, on m.

A bracket, 9, projects inwardly from the right-hand standard, B, and journaled vertically therein is a shortshaft,h,provided nearits upper end with aworm-gear, t, and atits lower end with a miter-gear, k, the latter gear intermeshing with the gear Z on the shaft X. A worm, j, is disposed on the main shaft E, which intermeshes with the worm-geart', motion being communicated to the shaft X and cams m through the shafts E h, worm j, and gears i k l. Each of the cams m operates a lever, 12,

' which is centrally pivoted, at a, in a bracket or arm, 19, secured to the under side of one of the bars T, the lower ends of the levers being kept in contact with the cams by springs s.

Disposed on the upper end of each of the levers a there is a cam-plate, q, (see Fig. 16,) which works in a slot in a bent plate, 1', attached to the lower part of the shifter-bed or carriage, in which the shifter jacks Y are mounted, as best seen in Fig. 14, and as the cams m revolve and thelev'ers n are rocked or vibrate the shifter-beds and their shifters are moved back and forth laterally on the ways T by the action of the plates (1 in the bent plates r, the distance the shifters are moved in either direction laterally corresponding with the distance between any two needles 1? in the bed 1?.

The cam m, which moves the right hand bank of shifters laterally on the ways T, is set differently on the shaft X from its companion cam, or that which moves the left-hand bank, or so that when the carriage E starts to go from right to left the left-hand bank of shifters will be moved laterally, and when it starts to return from left to right the right-hand bank of shifters will be moved laterally, the lateral movements of the shifters varying with each alternate traverse of the carriage.

The carriage E is provided onits front side at each end with appliances which have special reference to the shifters 00. These consist of the extension-plate 99,0n the right-hand end of the carriage, and acorresponding extensionplate, L, on the left-hand end, the right-hand plate being provided with cam-plates 100 and A and the left-hand plate with cam-plates M N so arranged as to respectively form the cam-grooves B and 0 (See Figs. 5, 31, and 84.)

The heels T of the needles P work in the grooves B and 0 which grooves are respectively connected at the ends of the carriage E with the groove Z in the ordinary needle-cams beneath said carriage, the object of the extension-plate and its cams being to control the needles properly for the action of the shifters.

Attached to the plate 99, at the right-hand end of the carriage E, there is a plate, 83, for opening and closing the latches ot' the needles P in the right-hand end of the needle-bed. This plate is provided with a point, 84, and a thin or sharp rounded edge, 85, and as the carriage traverses from left to right the point 84 passes under the latches of the needles and opens all of them which have not been properly opened by the loops on the needles, and when the carriage passes from right to left the curved edge 85 acts to close the latches of all of the needles which are engaged with any of the right-hand bank of shifters, sponding plate, 89, on the left-hand end of the carriage acting in a like manner on the needles at the left-hand end of the needle-bed, the needles being raised in proper position for the acthe corretion of the plates 83 and 89 by the cam-grooves B and O at the right and left hand ends ofthe carriage, respectively. The camgroove B at the right-hand end of the carriage is shown in full and dotted lines in Fig. 31, and when the carriage is moving toward the right the inclined ends of the cam-plates 100 and A guide the heels T of the needles into said groove B which latter, being curved upward to a point I at the left of the plate 83, serves to push up the needles, and as the point 84c of said plate engages a needle-latch the upward movement of the needle assists said point in throwing out the latch to open it, The groove B is con tinued from the point referred to in a line parallel with the movement of the carriage, and

terminates at a point under the right-hand end of the carriage proper. \Vhen the heels of the needles are released from the groove B at its inner end, they are controlled by the ordinary needle-heel groove in the under side of the earriage, which groove is constructed in any of the known ways, well understood by those conversant with the art. The groove 0" at the left-hand end of the carriage corresponds in shape to the groove B at the right-hand end thereof, and is shown in part in Fig. 13. The inner ends of this groove are curved abruptly, as are the inner ends of the cam-groove B (shown in Fig. 31,) and as the carriage continues its movement toward the right the needles whose latches have been opened by the opener S4, and which have been acted upon by the shifters, are engaged at their heels by the inner end of the cam-groove O and brought into position for the action of the latch-closer of the plate 89. An auxiliary latch-opener, S7, is also attached to the right-hand end of the carriage E, its point projecting under the saddle of the carriage, as best seen in Fig. 31, this opener acting to open any latches not properly opened by the loops on the needles as the carriage traverses from right to left, a corresponding opener, 88, being disposed on the left-hand end of the carriage to open the I latches as the carriage travels from left to right.

Stretched between the plate 83 and opener 87, atthe right-hand end of the carriage, there is a horizontallyarranged wire, 86, a corresponding wire being stretched between the plate 89 and opener S8 at the lefthand end of the carriage. These wires are so arranged in respect to the needles as to keep the latches of all the needles which are immediately beneath them at any given time open, and thereby insure the proper action of the needles and shifters.

Attached to the bracket 10], on the front of the carriage E, near its right-hand end, there is a guard, 96, formed of wire and projecting inwardly under the guard plate 93. This wire is so arranged as to prevent the latches of the empty needles immediately under it from closing accidentally as the carriage traverses from left to right, a corresponding guardwvire, 96, being placed at theleft-hand end ofthe carriage, and employed for a likepurpose as the carriage traverses from right to left.

Disposed in each of the grooves 28 and 29 in the eanrbar XV there is a switch-tongue or drop-lock, 31, the object and purpose of which arehereinafter explained,provid ed with astud which passes through to the upper side of said bar, the stud being provided on its outer end with a crank-pin, X and spring 12 the spring acting contractively to draw the point of the switch-tongue down onto the lower side, Z, of the groove, the groove being enlarged in the vicinity of the tongue, as best seen in Fig. 10. These parts, in connection with their operative mechanism, constitute the leading features of the loop-shifting mechanism, or third section of my improved machine.

The fourth section, or that embracing the Jacquard mechanism for automatically controlling the shifters, will be understood by the following description:

Pivoted by their lower ends to the tie-bar 0, near its left-hand end and at the rear of the machine, as best seen in Figs. 4 and 27, there are two swinging arms, 40, connected by crossbars 41 and 42, and journaled horizontally on the shaft 56, in the upper ends of these arms, there is a quadrangular tube or cylinder, 43, provided on each of its four sides with a series of transverse parallel slots, 45, and at each end with spurs 44. Disposed on one end of the shaft 56 there is a ratchet-wheel, 53, and locking disk or wheel 52, the ratchet being provided with a pawl, 54, pivoted at its inner end to the tie-bar N, and the wheel with a pawl or stop-lever, 48, pivoted at its lower end to a bracket, 47, on the bar 42, the stop-lever being provided at its upper end with adog or catch,

51, adapted to engage the wheel 52 and hold said wheel and the cylinder 43 stationary after the pawl 54 has acted and while the ratchet 53 is passing inwardly under it. these parts being omitted in Fig. 4 to simplify the illustration.

Mounted on the shaft X there is a cam, 50, and projecting inwardly from one of the arms 40 there is an arm, 49, adapted to engage said cam, and provided with a frietion-roll at its inner end, the roll being kept in contact with the cam by the contractile action of a coiled spring, 57, one end of which is attached to the arm 40 and the other to the bracket R 011 the frame.

Projecting downwardly from the tie-bar N there are two arms or brackets, 10, and mounted in lugs 63, disposed thereon, there is a horizontally-arranged rod, 1), carrying a series of centrally-pivoted independent levers, t. Each of the levers t is providednear its lower end with an outwardly-projecting pin or stud, an, adapted to enter one of the slots 45 in the cylinder 43, and with a spring, (30, for forcing the stud into the slot, the lower end of the spring being attached to the rear portion of the lever below its pivotal support and the upper end to a rod, 59, supported in lugs 58 on the bar N. Mounted in the lugs 63 on the arms to there is also a horizontallyarranged rod, a, passing under the lovers tand acting to prevent them from falling too low, this red being rendered vertically adj ustable,in unison with therod 12 and levers t, by screws (1 in the lugs 63.

'A series of perforated cards, 46, connected at their sides and arranged in the form of an endless belt, H, passes around the cylinder 43, each of the cards corresponding in size with one of the sides or faces of the cylinder, and the perforations in the cards being so disposed as to register with the slots 45 in the cylinder. A hole, f", is formed in each end of each card for receiving the spurs or studs 44 on the cylinder, by which the belt is fed forward as the cylinder revolves.

The upper ends of the levers t are adapted to engage the studs 3 on the lower sides of the jacks Yand draw the shifters upward in their bed sufficiently to prevent the studs 2 on said jacks from entering the grooves 28 and 29 of the cam-bar W when the guard 37 is raised, thereby keeping the shifters out of action, as desired.

It will be understood that the arms 40, carrying the cylinder 43, are swung or vibrated on their support by the cam 50, and that when said cylinder is moved inwardly by the spring 57 and brought into contact with the studs or pins a, some of said studs will enter the perforations in the cards 46 and others will strike on the blank spaces between said perforations, and that all of the levers the studs of which enter the perforations will be leftin their nor mal condition, while those the studs of which strike on the blank spaces of the cards be tween the perforations will be raised and draw up corresponding shifter-jacks.

In Fig. 4 the machine is represented as provided with a Jacquard mechanism at its left hand end for controlling the left-hand bank of shifters; but it will be understood that a corresponding Jacquard mechanism is also provided for the right-hand bankof shifters, as partly shown in said figure, and that it operates in substantially the same manner; also, that when more than two banks of shifters are employed a corresponding number of Jacquard mechanisms are likewise used, and that when but one bank of shifters, extending the entire length of the needle .banks, is employed, but one Jacquard mechanism, coequal in length with the bank of shifters, will be required. These parts, in connection with suitable operative mechanism, constitute the leading features of the Jacquard mechanism, or fourth section of my improved machine.

It will be obvious that the loop-shifters for producing ornamental work may be used to advantage with the knitting-machine proper, whether the same is provided with mechanismfor transposing the threads and producing plaited work or otherwise; also, that the mechanism for transposing the threads may be used on the knitting-machine proper whether the same is provided with shifters or the shifters are omitted; also, that the Jacquard mechanism may be used with the knittingmachine proper when the same is provided with shifters whether the t'hread-transposing mechanism is employed or omitted; also, that the Jacquard mechanism may be omitted entirely, if desired, in which case the machine will produce a uniform pattern in accordance with the construction and arrangement of the shiftercams and shifters.

I will now describe the operation of the mechanism for transposing the threads.

In my improved machine the position of the thread-carriers is changed or reversed at each traverse of the carriage, thereby causing one and the same carrier to lead at all times when over the working-needles of the machine,

whether the carriage is moving from right to left or left to right, the result being that one of the threads (the trailing) will always be drawn to the front or right side and the other (the leading) to the back or wrong side of the fabric, thereby producing either a plaited fabric or one of two colors, or both, as desired,

or in accordance with the quality and colors of the threads used. To cause one of the thread-carriers to lead and the other to trail continuously,it is necessary to transpose them at each end of the route traversed by the carriage. For instance, the carrierf on the arm 74 leads and the carrier 95 trails as the carriage E traverses from left to right, and in order, therefore, to have the same carrier lead on the return of the carriage from the right to the left hand end of the machine it is neces sary to bring the arm 74 to the front or left of the carrier 95 at the time or immediately af ter the reverse movement of the carriage commences. The means for accomplishing this transposition of the thread-carriers is as follows: The arm 74 being at the right-hand end of the carriage E, and held in position by the spring-catch 78 in the notch It of the slide H on the bar 76, and the carrier 95 at the lefthand end of the carriage against the stop 9, if now the carriage E is caused to traverse toward the right-hand end of the machine the thread-carrierf will lead and the carrier 95 trail. When the carriage has proceeded far enough on its course to bring the flange J on the slide H into contact with the rod 72, the carrierf will be stopped, but the carriage E will continue to advance. disengaging the spring-catch 78 from the slide H and causing said slide and the carrier f to remain stationary. As the carriage E advances, the arm 77 'is brought into contact with the bent rod 73,

causing the bar 76 to rock or be partially rotated on its pivots G and the arm 74 to be tilted or thrown up into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 29 or raised out of the path of the trailing carrier 95. The carriage continuing to advance toward the right with the arm 74 elevated, the spring catch 79 engages the slide H after which engagement the carriage is reversed, in the usual manner, and commences to travel toward the left, the arm 74 being still elevated. As the carriage E proceeds toward the left the carrier 95 is held stationary by the friction-block U on the rod 98 until the slide Z of the carrier 95 is brought into contact with the stop h on the right-hand end of the carriage. In the meantime, the carriage continuing to advance toward the left, the carrier f passes the carrier 95 and the arm 77 is withdrawn from beneath the bent rod 73, permitting the bar 76 to partially rotate and the arm 74 to drop onto the bar or stop 97, in which position it is held by the spring 82. The carriage now advances to the left-hand end of the needle-bed, the carrierf leading and the carrier 95 trailing, the action of the friction-block U on the rod 98 being overcome by the advancing carriage, said block pressingagainst the stop It. When the carriage reaches the left-hand end of the needle-bed, the carriers are again transposed in substantially the same manner as already described, and it is not deemed essential to explain the operation more fully. At the time the transposition of the threads takes place both of the carriers are outside of or beyond the needles in the needle-bed of the machine. The wires 91 and 92 prevent the threads a from catching on the guards 93 as the threads are transposed.

I will now describe the operation of the shifters or mechanism for producing ornamental work. The carriage E being at the centerof the needle-bed P and moving toward the right, and the slide 22 in contact with the righthand arm 6 on the cam-bar \V, and said bar also moving toward the right, when the bar has advanced far enough'in that direction to remove all of the studs 2 on the righthand bank of the shifter-jacks out of groove 29 and bring them onto the upperor working edge of the camplatc 25, thereby elevating or remov ing all of the shifters in the right-hand bank out of the path of the carriage, the movement of the slide 22 is reversed, in the usual wellknown manner, and it commences traversing toward the left. The carriage E continues to advance toward the right to the end of its course, and the threads 2" are transposed as hereinbefore described. At the moment when the slide 22 is about midway between the arms e the motion of the carriage E is reversed, and it commences to travel toward the left, the slide 22 being then brought into contact with the left-hand arm 0, and moving the cam-bar XV also toward the left. The heels T of the needies P having passed the ordinary cam grooves Z in the carriage, and the needles performed the ordinary process of knitting, the heels now engage the cam-plate A at its inner end and enter the groove B under the extension cant plate 99 of the carriage from the left, and the needles are thereby pushed upwardly through their loops to open the latches preparatory to receiving the shifters, but not far enough to permit the loops to escape over the latches. In case any of the threads have been broken or a needle has become empty from any other cause, and there is no loop to open its latch when it is pushed upwardly by the cam-plate 99, as described, the latclrcpener 87 will open the latch, and the wire 86 hold it down in proper position. The carriage E and cam-bar W both continuing to advance toward the left, when the carriage proper has passed the right-hand shifter in the right-hand bank of shifters, the handle 83 being depressed, the switch 37 raised, and the groove 29 open, the stud e on the jack of the righthand shifter in the right-hand bank will enter said groove and the shifter be forced downwardly in the direction of the needles. Just before the descending shifter reaches its corresponding needle, the cam-bars 6t) and 67, moving toward the left with the cam-bar XV, act on the jack of said shifter to raiseit and permit the shifter to pass downwardly over the hook of the nee dle, as seen in Fig. 18. The cam-bars 66 and 67 now depress the shifter, causing it to pass downwardly over the hook of the needle and the hook to enter the slot n" in the shifter. The drop -lock or switch -tongue 31 in the groove 29 is now brought into contact with the stud z, causing the stud to ride over said tongue, thereby drawing up the shifter and causing it to engage the hook on the needle, as shown in Fig. 19, the shifter continuing to be drawn up. carrying its needle with it, until I the loop has been shed from the latch, as shown in Fig. 20. The stud 2, having passed the drop-lock 31,passes downwardly in the groove 29, causing the shifter to descend, the cams on the extension-plate 99 at the same time acting to draw down the needle in unison with the shifter. As the needle passes downwardly, engaged with its shifter, the curved edge 85 of the latch opener and closer 83 passes under the latch 01' the needle and partially closes the same, as seen in Fig. 21. The needle and its engaged shifter continuing to descend, the needle is drawn downwardly, fully closing the latch until it passes through the loop and the loop is shed or slipped off the needle onto the shifter. The shank of the needle having now arrived at the right hand or outer end of the groove B, which is straight at that point, the needle stands still, but the shifter continues to pass downwardly through the loop until the loop drops into the groove y in the shifter and the latch is fully opened by the point of the shifter. The cam-bars (3G and 67 now act on thejack of the shifter tolift it above the book of the needle, so that it may be detached therefrom, and at the same time the sharp bend or cam 30 in the groove 29 acts on the stud z to slightly withdraw the shifter or pull it upwardly from over the needle, as shown in Fig. 22, whereby the loop on the shifter is drawn back out of the way of the adjoining needles preparatory to racking the shifter or transferring the loop to an adjoining needle.

In the foregoing description of the operation of the shifters, the description has been confined to the right-hand shifter in the righthand bank of shifters from the time it first descended to engage its needle until it had received its loop and was ready to be racked, as described; but it will be understood that all of the shifters in said bank are operated in the same manner and in regular succession, as best seen in Fig. 26, until they are all brought into a uniform position over their respective needles, have received their loops, and are ready to be racked. The shifters in the righthand bank, having received the loops from their respective needles and being in readiness to be racked, the right-hand cam m on the shaft X now acts on the right-hand lever n, causing the cam q on said lever, acting in the slot of the bracket 0*, attached to the shifterbed, to move the shifter-bed and righthand bank of the shifters bodily to the right a dis tance equal to the distance between any two needles in the needle-bed, thereby bringing the shifters over the adjoining needlesto the right of those from which the loops havejust been removed. The carriage E and cam-bar W, having now completed their course toward the left and had their movements reversed, return toward the right, the slide 22 being in contact with the right-hand arm e. The shanks of the needles immediately below the left-hand shifters in the right-hand banknow commence to enter the right-hand end of the groove B on the extensiorrplate 99, thereby bringing the hooks of all the needles under the right-hand bank of shifters onto the same plane, and at this point I will describe the operation of the shilters in discharging their loops, confining the description to the left-hand shifter in the righthand bank of shifters, it being understood that all of the shifters in said bank transfer or shed their loops in the same manner and in regular succession from left to right. The cam-bars 66 and 67, traversing from left to right, now depress the left-hand shifter, the loop being held in the groove y. The cams on the cam-barWV then act to draw up the jack, causing the shifter to shed its loop from the groove 1, as shown in Fig. 23, and the shifter to engage the hook of the-needle. The shifter continuing to be drawn upwardly, carrying the needle with it, the loop is shed from the shifter and slipped on over the hook of the needle above .the latch, asshownin Fig. 24. The carriage E, still moving to the right, now carries the latch opener and closer past the needles below the right-hand bank of shifters, its point 84 opening'any latches of the empty needles which have been accidentally'closed, and the wire 86 holding them open. The stud z, having now arrived at the drop-lock 31 in the groove 29, passes down the groove or bend Z under the same, overcoming the spring o as it continues on its course. As the stud passes down beneath the d'roplock the shifter descends a short distance, the needle at the same time standing still, after which the cambars 66 and 67 raise the shifter or lift it above the hook, as shown in Fig. 25, and the cams on the barWdraw it up out of the way of the advancing carriage. The shifters in the righthand bank having performed their work, as described, aportiou of the needles will be left without loops, and their latches are consequently liable to he accidentally closed. These latches-that is torsay, those of the empty needles which become accidentally o'losed are opened by the opener 83 and kept open by the wire 86 so long as said wire is over them; but as the carriage advances, carrying the wire from over them, they are liable to be closed again. To prevent this a bent guard-wire, 96, is used at each end of the carriage, that at the right end of the carriage keeping the latches open as the carriage traverses from left to right, and that at the left-hand end keeping them open when the carriage moves from right to left, the right-hand guard working in connection with the right-hand bank of shifters, and the left-hand guard with the left-hand bankof shifters. The shiftersinthe right-hand bank, after'having been racked or moved to the right to transfer the loops, as described, are atthe next traverse of the carriageEmoved or racked to the left by the reverse action of the lever a, cam on, and cam q,- but the cam m, lever' n, and cam (1 may be readily so constructed and arranged as to rack the shifters in one direction only by returning the shifterbed to its normal position while the shifters are disengaged and the studs rest on the camplate 25; or the shifters may be racked any desired number of times in either direction by a change of the cams in q and their operative mechanism.

It will be understood that the left-hand bank of shifters are operated in substantially the same manner as described for the right-hand bank, but in reverse ordcr-that is to say, the left-hand shifter in the left-hand bank corresponds with the right-hand shifterin the righthand. bank.

' It will be understood that either or both banks of shifters may be kept out of action by the guards 37, which close the cam-grooves 28 and 29 in the bar WV, the studs .2, when the shifters are thus withdrawn from use, riding on the upper or working edges of the camplates 23, 25, and 26. It will also be understood that the guard 37 shuts out the entire bank of shifters, or is adapted to keep the entire bank out of action whenever desired,- but that a single shifter or as many shifters as desired cannot be withdrawn from action by. means of the guard, this being accomplished by the Jacquard mechanism, the operation of which I will now proceed to describe.

' When the studs z in the left-hand bank of shifters rest on the cam-plate 25 of the bar W, the arms 40, carrying the Jacquard cylinder 43, are moved inwardly or toward the shifters by the movements of the cam 50 and spring 57, the pins 20 on the lower ends of the leverst being brought into contact with one of the perforated cards 46 of the belt H, part of said pins passing through the perforations of the card and corresponding slots 45 of the cylinder, and the rest being stopped by the blanks between the perforations. As the Jacquard cylinder is moved forward or in to bring one of the cards 46 against the pins to, all of said pins which do not pass through perforations in the card will be pushed or pressed back, causing their respective levers t to be swung or tilted on the rod 1; and the upper ends of the same to engage the studs 3 on the jacks Y of the shifters, thereby drawing up the jacks and removing the shifters from action, where they are held until the cam-bar W moves toward the right sufficiently to bring all of the studs 2 in the left-hand bank of shifters over the cam-plate 23. The cam 50, continuing to revolve, now swings the arms 40 and cylinder 43 away from the pins to, disengaging the leverst from the studs 3 and permitting the studs 2' of the elevated jacks to fall on the upper or working edge of the cam 23, the springs bringing said levers back into their normal position preparatory to engaging a new set of jacks. As the cylinder recedes from the pinsu, when ithas moved far enough to withdraw such of said pins as are in the perforations of the card from said perforations, the pawl 54 is brought into action and the cylinder, continuing to swing outwardly on the arms 40, is revolved a distance corresponding with one-fourth part of its circumference, bringing a new card 46 into position opposite the pins, the belt H of cards being fed along intermittently as the cylinder revolves by means of the spurs or points 44 entering the holes f, and the cylinder being held in position by the locking-lever 48.

The shifters are arranged on the same incline or at the same angle as the front bank of needles in the needle-bed, and workin connection with them only, the needles in the rear bank of the bed being omitted entirely or left in and permitted to knit in the ordinary manner, as may be desired.

All the working parts of the machine,whenever necessary, are made adjustable by proper appliances for that purpose, and all of said parts are so constructed and arranged or timed as to perform their functions properly.

It will be understood that suitable take-ups, guides, and tension devices of any known construction are used for the threads, and that suitable appliances for applyiu g motive power to the machine are to be employed in combination with the parts shown and described.

The extension-plates 99 and L' may be omitted, if desired, in which case the cam-plates 100, A, M and N are attached directly to the carriage and the carriage made of greater length than when the plates are not used; or the plates 100 and A may be made integral with the plate 99, and the plates M and N integral with the plate L if desired.

It will be obvious that the plates 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27 may be formed integral with the cam-bar \V, if desired, and perform substantially the same functions.

In a pending application for Letters Patent ofthe United States, which was filed by me on the 10th day of December, 1883, Serial No. 114,046, mechanism for transposing the loops or stitches in a straight or flat-bed knitting machine is shown and described, and I do not therefore claim such a mechanism broadly in this application.

I am aware that a mechanism for shifting the loops or stitches in a straight or flat-bed knitting machine is shown and described in United States Letters Patent No. 284,673, granted to one \Villiam Roberts, and bearing date September 11, A. I). 1883; but the shifters in his patented machine were used by hand only,and not provided with the necessary appliances adapting them to be worked automatically in connection with the knitting mechanism proper. I do not, therefore, claim anything shown or described in said Letters Patent No. 284,673 broadly, or when in and of itself considered.

Having thus explained my invention, what I clai in is 1. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the following instrumentalities,to wit: a needle-bed, a series of needles, two independent thread-carriers, a shifter or shifters adapted to automatically shift or change the loops or stitches, a cam for moving said shifter or shifters longitudinally, means for moving theshifter or shifters laterally to shift the loops received by them from the needles onto other needles, means, substantially as described, for automatically transposing the thread-carriers,and operative meehanism,substantially as described, for said needles, threadcarriers, and cam.

2. The combination, substantially as set forth, of the followinginstrumentalities, to wit: a needle-bed, a series of needles, two independent thread-carriers, a shifter or shifters adapted to automatically shift or change the loops or stitches, a cam for moving said shifter or shifters longitudinally, means for moving the shifter or shifters laterally to shift the loops received by them from the needles onto other needles, means, substantially as described, for automatically transposing the thread-carriers, a Jacquard device adapted to automatically withdraw the shifters from action, and operative mechanism, substantially as described, for said needles, thread-carriers, and cam.

3. The combination, substantially as set forth,of thefollowing instrumentalities,to wit: a needle-bed, a series of needles, a thread-carrier, a shifter or shifters adapted to automatically shift or change the loops or stitches, a cam for moving said shifter or shifters longitudinally, means for moving the shifter or shifters laterally to shift the loops received by them from the needles onto other needles, a Jacquard device adapted to automatically withdraw the shifters from position to be acted upon by the cam,and operativemechanism, substantially as described, for said needles, threadcarrier, and cam.

4. The combination, substantially as set forth,of the following instrumentalities,to wit: a needle-bed, a series of needles, a thread-carrier, a shifter or shifters adapted to automatically shift or change the loops or stitches,a camplate for actuating the shifters, provided with a switch-guard for keeping the shifter or shifters out of action when desired, and operative mechanism, substantially as described, for said needles, thread-carrier,and shifter cam-plate.

5. The shifter 00, having the slot or eye a and provided with the groove y, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The jack Y, provided with the shifter x and the stud z, substantially as described.

7. The jack Y, provided with the shifter x IIO 

